Love Ignited

by Jacie Lennon

  “Mason, would you like to see if we can screw each other out of our systems?”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” he says, his smirk back in place.

  I let a grin sneak over my face in reply. I knew he felt an attraction, just like me.

  “To love and hate. Two sides of the same coin.”

  Mason grabs my hand and escorts me through the crowd into the back hallway to the restrooms.

  “Wait, um, a restroom?” I ask, putting my other hand on his arm to stop him.

  He gives me a shake of his head, throwing a door open further down the hallway, and we walk outside. He mashes a button in his pocket, and the truck in front of us lights up. Quickly opening the back door, he turns to me, holding out his hand to help me in. I crawl across the seat in a very ladylike manner, turning to face him as he climbs up behind me. I feel like I’m a teenager, sneaking around and making out in the backseat of a truck, and for some reason, it feels freeing to be spontaneous and not worry about anything for a night.

  “I, uh—” I start to say.

  But his hands come up to grasp my face and pull me to his, our lips meeting, and I melt against him as the urgency in my body takes over. He angles his head to deepen the kiss, his tongue slipping between my lips to taste me. His hands still cup my face as I lean forward to skim mine up his arms and shoulders. The rigid muscles flexing underneath my fingertips.

  His groans at my touch spur me on, and I let my hands roam across his torso, tracing the dips of his muscles.

  Fuck. Me. The hardness of his body is amazing, and I clench my legs together at the sensations gathering in my core.

  “I’ve wondered what it would feel like to touch your skin,” he says, pulling back to look at me before pushing up.

  He runs his hands down my body, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. My sides burn underneath my shimmery dress.

  “To have you on top of me.” He leans down to pull my hem up as he grasps underneath my thighs, pulling me onto him in one swift move as he shifts underneath me. “To have your mouth on mine.” His lips lightly caress mine again.

  “Don’t stop touching me,” I tell him as I pull away, my breathing ragged and choppy as I rest my cheek against his.

  His hands find the zipper on the back of my dress, pulling it down once he’s pushed my ponytail to the side. He trails kisses across my shoulder as he pushes the top of my dress down. I unbutton his shirt and plant my hands on his hard chest before pushing it off his shoulders.

  “Fuck,” he says, his thumbs rubbing across both of my erect nipples.

  I push my chest closer, urging him to touch more, and he cups both breasts in his palms, the heat from his skin warming me.

  I let out a moan, the electricity traveling from my nipples to my clit as it throbs on top of his pants.

  “You might want to take your pants off before I soak through my panties and get them wet,” I whisper into the air that’s filled with panting.

  His eyes snap to mine, ignited with lust. I raise myself as he reaches down to undo his belt and push his khakis down. I lower myself back down, my pussy on his cock; the only barrier is our underwear. He pushes his thumb down on my clit as I grasp his shoulders, rubbing myself back and forth across his lap, the friction hitting all the right spots. I ache to have him inside me.

  “Oh my God,” I moan into his shoulder and then bite down, his skin between my teeth, my core clenching at the feelings coursing through my body.

  I’m so turned on, so fuckin’ wet. My panties are soaked, and my head is swimming with Mason’s scent. He pulls his thumb off my clit, eliciting a groan from me at the loss of pressure against my most sensitive area.

  Mason moans into my hair as he shifts us again. “God, that was sexy,” he whispers as I pull my mouth away from his skin.

  I wind up on my back as he maneuvers himself in the tight space of the backseat. Lifting my hips, he sweeps his tongue down my stomach, pushing my dress up further so that it sits around my waist like a belt. His tongue dips into my belly button before swirling around the apex of my thighs. I arch my back, searching for more contact. I can’t believe how close I am. I’ve never been able to come this fast.

  “You won’t be disappointed.” His words come back to me.

  “Shit. Fuckin’ hell,” I yell as his mouth covers my clit, sucking and taking me over the edge. I brace my hands against the truck window, pushing my lower half closer to him. My legs tense as a crescendo of pleasure washes over my body, each nerve ending on alert.

  I slowly come down from my high, my legs still hooked over his shoulders, as he glances up at me, grinning.

  “That was quick,” he says, rising onto his knees.

  I don’t answer while pushing up onto my elbows to peer at him.

  “But wait, there’s more,” he says in an infomercial voice as he pops his briefs over his hard cock. It bobs in the space between us, and we both look to it and then back at each other.

  Fuck.

  He smirks as his eyes meet mine. Now, I know why he’s a playboy. I’m sure the women line up for seconds and thirds after having him once. I lick my lips before I realize what I’m doing, and his smile grows wider.

  “Hold on.” I bend over, brushing my hand against the floor where my purse landed earlier. Fishing my hand around, I finally open it, and panic sets in when I realize the condom I stashed there earlier isn’t anywhere to be found. “Damn it, it’s gone.”

  “What’s gone?” he asks, leaning in to rub his nose across my neck, sending goose bumps traveling down my arms.

  “The condom I brought,” I whisper, my arms clenching his. “It must have fallen out when I dropped my purse in the car earlier.”

  “Damn. I can’t believe I forgot about a condom.” His eyes roam over my body again before meeting my eyes. “I have one.” He leans forward and opens his truck console, rustling items around before slamming it closed and muttering.

  “What?”

  “I said, I don’t have a condom.”

  We sit there in silence for a moment.

  “For real? Is this real life?” I gesture between us.

  “Well, I didn’t expect to have my bones jumped tonight, so no, I didn’t restock my truck supply,” Mason hisses at me.

  “Damn it. Okay, well, I’m on the pill and clean.” I raise my eyebrows at him.

  “Had a physical for work last week. Also clean,” Mason says.

  “Thank fuck.” I know this is irresponsible right now, but I don’t care. The base instincts have taken over my body, and I’m not making wise, rational decisions.

  “Are you sure?” He looks at me, furrowing his brow.

  He doesn’t touch me, almost like he knows we won’t stop if he makes contact. But I want the contact. I crave the contact.

  “You want to do this? I don’t know if we should.”

  “Yes, I want this. Hurry, before I change my mind.”

  He pauses, brows furrowed, and then he nods once before lowering his body on top of mine, one hand between us as he runs a finger along the inside of my thigh, making a trail to where my wetness pools between my legs. He hooks one arm behind my head as he brings my face to his, nipping my bottom lip, his scruff deliciously tickling my skin.

  I skate my hands along his sides, the cut of his abdomen a treat for my fingers as I roam over the bumps and ridges made by hard work.

  “Mason,” I moan his name like a woman possessed. “Fuck me. Right now.”

  I hear his breath hitch at my demand, and he nods, moving quicker, more urgently.

  I need him inside me. He pushes a finger in, hooking it forward and pressing against my wall. Shocks travel up my spine as my erect nipples scrape against his hard chest.

  I reach and grab him, lining the head of him up with me, and then he slowly pushes in. We both gasp, the feeling invasive and amazing at the same time. He settles before pushing in and out, stretching me and then leaving. Capturing me and then releasing.

  “That feels…
” I groan as I trail off, throwing my head back as I let myself focus on the sensations coursing through me.

  This was a terrible mistake. There’s no way I can forget about this or Mason after experiencing a true sexual experience in what seems like forever.

  “Hey, where’d you go?” Mason turns my face back to him. “Right here,” he says, pointing to his face as he continues to fuck me.

  He pushes his hand through my hair, gripping the back of it and tilting my head up, planting his mouth on my exposed neck, nipping and sucking. I run my hands down his chiseled torso and then scratch my nails up his back as his other hand finds my clit again.

  He pounds into me, the whole truck shaking with the intensity of our fucking. He pushes down on my sensitive nub, sending me over the edge again. We lock eyes as I come, and I see the appreciation in his gaze while he reaches up to palm my breast.

  His eyes widen before he mutters, “Shit.” He quickly jumps off me, his hand covering the tip of his cock as he continues to groan his release.

  Mason fishes some paper napkins out of the console and hands me a few while he cleans himself off. The silence is stifling after the sounds that filled the truck.

  What have I done?

  I try to think of something to say to break the tension.

  “Why are you parked back here?” I ask him, trying to grasp the back of my dress to pull my zipper up.

  “I know the owner,” he says before stopping me and reaching behind me to assist.

  My breath catches in my throat as his face is inches from mine. I know we were just intimate, but this feels different. The heightened sexual emotions are gone, and it’s just Mason, inches from my face and helping me.

  I can’t believe we just had sex in the back of his truck at a holiday party. This is the most impulsive thing I’ve done, and I can’t help but feel like I’ve made a huge mistake.

  13

  Mason

  What the hell just happened? I ask myself as I open the door to the restaurant, ushering Jules inside.

  She stops me with a hand, telling me she’s going to walk out first and that we shouldn’t go together. I nod and quickly slip into the restroom, doing my business and washing up to kill time. If I had been threatened on pain of death to guess how tonight was going to go, I guess I would have died. But hell, I wasn’t going to turn down a tumble in the sheets—er, a romp in the backseat with a seriously sexy woman. No matter how much we didn’t get along.

  I stare at myself in the mirror, narrowing my eyes and trying to figure out what game Jules is playing. Strangely, she did a complete turnabout when it comes to us. The last time she was friendly with me was before I insulted her. And now, she wants to have sex—bareback sex at that. I was right before—she’s a little crazy. But I kind of like it.

  The door to the restroom swings open, making me jump. I’m losing it, staring at myself in thought.

  What kind of pussy shit was that?

  I finish drying my hands and catch the door as it closes, stepping back into the hallway. The music from the party assaults my senses after the quiet of the restroom. I look down to make sure everything is in place before advancing into the room. My eyes sweep the crowd until they land on a brunette ponytail that bobs as Jules laughs at something Hanna said. She must feel my eyes on her because she snaps her gaze in my direction before quickly returning her attention to Hanna and the woman standing next to her—who happens to be my cousin, Pepper.

  As I walk closer, I hear Hanna asking Jules where she has been. The look of panic in Jules’s eyes lets me know that she didn’t consider having an answer ready until now.

  I walk up behind her, grinning at Hanna and Pepper as I answer, “I believe I saw her come out of the restroom a little while ago. Pale and sweating. Are you feeling all right?” I direct my question to Jules, who slowly turns, her mouth hanging open as she looks at me.

  “I did not. Quit lying, Mason,” she hisses.

  “Okay, it was a joke. So, where were you?” I ask her, curious what answer she’s going to come up with.

  “Well, I did go to the restroom at first,” Jules says, her hands fidgeting. “Then, I stopped at the bar for a drink before getting sidetracked, talking to someone there …” She trails off. She’s not a very good liar.

  I raise my eyebrows at Hanna, who has a suspicious look on her face. I feel a laugh bubbling up inside me, and I quickly look away. Pepper’s eyes are bouncing between the three of us, as she’s unsure of what’s going on.

  “Julia Marigold Fairchild, are you lying to me?” Hanna asks her with an astonished look.

  “No,” Jules quickly says.

  “Marigold?” I ask her, a snort escaping.

  “Shut up,” Jules and Hanna tell me at the same time.

  “You are lying,” Hanna says with a laugh.

  “I’m not,” Jules fires back, a flush creeping across her chest.

  “Where’s your drink?” Hanna asks as she crosses her arms.

  Pepper walks to my side and slips her hand through my arm, leaning in to kiss my cheek. I watch Jules’s eyes widen before she turns back to Hanna.

  “I drank it.”

  “Don’t worry; I’m going to get it from you sooner or later.”

  “I’m not worried,” Jules says with an air of feigned nonchalance. “There’s nothing to tell.”

  Like hell there isn’t.

  It was a spectacular performance, if I do say so myself. She came twice in the short time we were outside.

  “Jules, have you met Pepper?” I gesture to my cousin.

  “Uh, yes, just now.” Jules looks flustered and a bit confused as her eyes dart to where Pepper’s arm is linked with mine. I’m enjoying watching her squirm. “Is she your date?”

  “Oh no, I don’t date her. But we are close,” I say with a wink as Pepper slaps my arm with a laugh.

  “Ah, well, that’s great, just great,” she says through clenched teeth. “So very nice to meet you, Pepper.” She turns suddenly and leaves the circle, heading back to the bar she supposedly just came from with Hanna following.

  “That was mean, Mason,” Pepper says with a frown as she pulls her arm from mine. “She likes you.”

  “She doesn’t like me,” I say with a snort.

  “Are you blind?” Her brow furrows.

  “Nope, I can see very well actually. Twenty-twenty vision.”

  “Not vision, you idiot,” Pepper huffs. “Something is going on between you two.”

  “Nothing going on beyond the occasional bickering and fighting. She told Dad we were mortal enemies,” I say with a laugh.

  “The look she just gave you didn’t scream mortal enemies to me,” Pepper says. “It looked more like she was hurt. You should probably tell her I’m your cousin.”

  “Nah, that would ruin the fun. Plus, you’re wrong; there’s nothing between us more than a casual frenemy thing. We had our fun, and now, we are done.” I shrug, sticking both hands in my pockets.

  I can’t deny the way my heart speeds up when I think about us being done. But I agreed to Jules’s proposal, and it was only for the night, not for forever.

  I’m not a forever kind of guy, and that’s how I like it. I keep repeating that to myself whenever I start to think about Julia Marigold Fairchild. I snort again.

  “You sound like a pig,” Pepper says.

  Ben walks up, oblivious to the fact that we are arguing, if his calm demeanor has anything to say.

  “Who’s a pig?” he asks, shifting his gaze between us.

  “Mason,” Pepper says, not even looking his way.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” Ben says with a laugh.

  I press my mouth into a straight line and raise my middle finger. Ben only laughs harder, and I roll my eyes.

  “I saw you head out the back door with Jules.”

  Pepper finally looks at him, eyes wide, before she whips her head to glare at me.

  “What are you up to, Mason Porter?” she hisses.


  “Nothing. It was a mutually beneficial agreement. Get off my back,” I say, getting frustrated with all the questions. I don’t know why she’s making this into a bigger deal than it is.

  “Grow up, Mason. Quit thinking with your dick,” Pepper says, a grimace on her face.

  I really can’t figure out why she’s treating me like this.

  Why is she insisting on getting in the middle of my business?

  “Whoa. Okay, time out,” Ben says.

  “Back off,” we both say.

  Ben looks surprised. He gives me a shrug before walking off, glancing back with a confused expression. Pepper juts a hip out and crosses her arms. I’m over this third degree she’s giving me.

  “Come on. We are leaving.” I don’t feel like being social anymore, so I check my phone, seeing it’s still early in the evening.

  I tell her I’m going to drop her at Dad’s, where she is staying. She wants to attend graduate school in Nashville, so she’s touring different campuses over her break, and it worked out perfectly for her to come to the party as my date. Looks like that might have backfired on me.

  I don’t say good-bye to anyone before leaving. I’m in a funk, and I just want to get the hell out. I open the door for Pepper before rounding the truck and climbing into the driver’s seat. I crank up the radio, flipping through the stations until I land on something upbeat to get me out of this mood. This night has been a whirlwind, and I feel like my head isn’t on straight now. We ride in silence, the air stifling in the truck.

  I only seem to upset everyone these days, and I’m not sure why.

  Why does Pepper feel the need to meddle in my love life? Why am I even calling it my love life? I’m not in love with Jules. If anything, after tonight, we are enemies with benefits.

  14

  Jules

  Throwing the last of my clothes in my bag, I sit on it to zip it shut. My heart aches to leave Hanna and her sweet family, but I know I can’t run away forever. I’ve been gone a week, and I need to return home, take the shop back over, and face my life as it is now.